Updated: Alternatives to the Komen Race for the Cure in the US, Canada and the UK

Updated on Feb 18th: Added information about additional breast cancer and research fundraising walks and runs around the world.

The Susan G Komen for the Cure charity sponsors races around the country to raise money in the fight against breast cancer. I have sponsored a few racers and walkers myself and have donated directly to the organization in the past.

The controversy over the their organization’s recent decisions to drop, and then to resume, funding, Planned Parenthood’s breast cancer screening program has left many of those troubled by these decisions in a bind: what charitable alternatives to the Komen Race are there that raise funds for breast cancer research?

Alternative Events in the US

Charity Navigator provides a breast cancer charities guide that rates each organization on transparency, cost, and several other metric. Charity Navigator is well reviewed but doesn’t give an indication of how politicized each organization is; you’ll have to do research and figure that out on your own.

The American Cancer Society organizes the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer raises money that they say “will save lives by helping people stay well and get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back against breast cancer”.

The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer supports “research to find a cure or prevention, as well as programs that enable all patients to access quality care… including low-income, elderly and minority individuals, and those who are under-insured. Recipient-organizations differ for each fund-raising city; they all seem worthy.

The Chicago-based breast cancer research fundraising organization Y-Me holds an event every Mother’s Day. Read about it and register here.

Alternatives to Komen Outside the US

Some organizations outside the US, including the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and the UK-based Breakthrough Breast Cancer fund, have agreements with Komen to raise funds and explore partnership possibilities that may affect your decision to fund raise on their behalf.